Fuel Cell Works Supplemental News Page

**Toyota Demonstrates New Fuel Battery**
Publication date: 31-May-2004 Source: Motonobu Kawai, Staff Editor, Nikkei Electronics
May 31, 2004 (TOKYO) -- Toyota Motor Corp revealed that it is developing a new fuel battery to be used in combination with a reformer. At the 11th Fuel Cell Symposium held from May 18-19, 2004 in Tokyo, Toyota disclosed the latest progress of fuel cell development for the first time. The reforming temperature to isolate hydrogen from liquid fuel differs according to the kind of liquid fuel, ranging from 250 degrees centigrade, a relatively low reforming temperature of methanol, to 700 degrees centigrade, a high temperature of kerosene. In the case of a conventional polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC), it was difficult to downsize the body of equipment and to improve the reforming efficiency because a heat exchanger was required to cool separated hydrogen from nearly 500 degrees centigrade to 80 degrees centigrade. Since Toyota's new fuel cell under development operates at 500 degrees centigrade, isolated hydrogen is used as it is. It doesn't specify the liquid fuel type. Toyota's new fuel battery called hydrogen membrane fuel cell (HMFC) has a structure in which a proton conductor electrolyte membrane and a cathode electrode are formed on a metal hydrogen membrane. The metal hydrogen membrane functions as an anode electrode, too. In Toyota's demonstration, around 100 micron-thick palladium (Pd) dense film was used for metal hydrogen membrane, and 1 micron-thick BaCe03 perovskite material for a proton conductor electrolyte. Platinum (Pt) was not used to avoid a high cost, Toyota said. When pure hydrogen is used, the electric power generating characteristics of HMFC is almost the same as that of PEFC at the operating temperature of 430 degrees centigrade, and higher by 20% at 510 degrees centigrade. Toyota disclosed related issues to be addressed in the future. For example, the company will need a thinner Pd membrane for cost reduction, and have to verify whether or not the materials are heat resistant in a very short time. ~

May 31, 2004 (TOKYO) -- Toyota Motor Corp revealed that it is developing a new fuel battery to be used in combination with a reformer.

At the 11th Fuel Cell Symposium held from May 18-19, 2004 in Tokyo, Toyota disclosed the latest progress of fuel cell development for the first time.

The reforming temperature to isolate hydrogen from liquid fuel differs according to the kind of liquid fuel, ranging from 250 degrees centigrade, a relatively low reforming temperature of methanol, to 700 degrees centigrade, a high temperature of kerosene.

In the case of a conventional polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC), it was difficult to downsize the body of equipment and to improve the reforming efficiency because a heat exchanger was required to cool separated hydrogen from nearly 500 degrees centigrade to 80 degrees centigrade.

Since Toyota's new fuel cell under development operates at 500 degrees centigrade, isolated hydrogen is used as it is. It doesn't specify the liquid fuel type.

Toyota's new fuel battery called hydrogen membrane fuel cell (HMFC) has a structure in which a proton conductor electrolyte membrane and a cathode electrode are formed on a metal hydrogen membrane. The metal hydrogen membrane functions as an anode electrode, too.

In Toyota's demonstration, around 100 micron-thick palladium (Pd) dense film was used for metal hydrogen membrane, and 1 micron-thick BaCe03 perovskite material for a proton conductor electrolyte. Platinum (Pt) was not used to avoid a high cost, Toyota said.

When pure hydrogen is used, the electric power generating characteristics of HMFC is almost the same as that of PEFC at the operating temperature of 430 degrees centigrade, and higher by 20% at 510 degrees centigrade.

Toyota disclosed related issues to be addressed in the future. For example, the company will need a thinner Pd membrane for cost reduction, and have to verify whether or not the materials are heat resistant in a very short time.